Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has come out in support of cricketer Haris Rauf following the controversy surrounding his ‘6-0’ gesture during the Asia Cup match against India on Sunday.
Tensions flared on the field when Rauf had a heated exchange with Indian openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. The Pakistani pacer was seen making a '6-0' hand gesture, which many have interpreted as a reference to Pakistan’s unverified claim of shooting down six Indian fighter jets during “Operation Sindoor” in May.
Asif reshared a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Ayab Ahmed, a columnist for the Daily Times, in which Ahmed praised Rauf’s gesture. In his reply, written in Urdu, Asif said, “Haris Rauf is treating them right. Keep it up. Cricket matches come and go… but 6-0 will not be forgotten by India until Judgment Day, and the world will remember it too.”
In addition to the gesture, Rauf was also seen making provocative "crashing plane" signs toward Indian fans, further fueling the controversy.
Haris Rauf’s wife, Muzna Masood Malik,also posted an Instagram story featuring a photo of Rauf making the hand gesture (the “6‑0” gesture) and captioned it, “Lost the game but won the battle!”
Image: Space Recorder/X
On the field, India chased down Pakistan’s 171/5 with ease, thanks largely to a ruthless opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma (74 off 39) and Shubman Gill (47), putting India in the driver’s seat. Despite Pakistan’s efforts, India sealed the win with seven balls to spare. Even with Rauf’s on‑field gestures drawing attention, the cricket itself showcased India’s dominance in that particular game.
